Smarty Scoop on Weekend Activities: 6/25-6/27

Hey there Smarties. Where is the summer going? Some days it is flying by but others, it can’t go fast enough. The goal is to have as much fun as we can with our kids and this weekend there are a ton of activities to help create that fun. Make sure to go by discovery Place on Sunday to check out their renovation – I hear it is awesome! There are many plays, movies, concerts and activities in our parks to keep you busy all weekend long. Get out and enjoy!Discovery Place “Free Day” and Renovation CelebrationDiscovery PlaceJune 27, Noon-5:00pmDiscovery Place will offer free public admission on Sunday, June 27, as part of a celebration that concludes the Museum’s $31.6 million renovation. The finale of the 18-month renovation brings all new interactive science and technology exhibits to Discovery Place, including World Alive, a diverse aquarium, rainforest, biodiversity exhibition and two new hands-on labs.

Storytime LiveBlumenthal Performing Arts CenterJune 25-27, Fri., 7:00pm; Sat., 11:00am, 2:00pm and 5:00pm; Sun., 11:00am and 2:00pmCome play along with your favorite preschool pals live on stage as Nickelodeon presents our newest, biggest, most exciting live show ever – STORYTIME LIVE! Leap into Fairytale Land with “Dora the Explorer,” journey through Purewood Forest with “The Backyardigans,” hop into Wonderland with “Wonder Pets!,” and monkey around on The Monkey King Adventure with “Ni Hao, Kai-lan.” Nickelodeon’s musical adventure, STORYTIME LIVE, features four of the top-rated preschool shows on television today and is sure to be the hit show you and your family have been waiting for! Cost is $16-$39.

Aladdin Jr.Matthews Playhouse June 24-26, Thurs-Fri, 11:00am; Sat, 2:00pmWelcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem and flying carpet rides, audiences’ spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy Award-winning score with songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come. Cost is $5.

The King and IMatthews PlayhouseJune 25, 8:00pmMrs. Anna Leonowens and her son Louis arrive in Bangkok, where she has contracted to teach English to the children of the royal household. She threatens to leave when the house she had been promised is not available, but falls in love with the children. A new slave, a gift of a vassal king, translates “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” into a Siamese ballet, expressing her unhappiness at being with the King. She attempts to escape with her lover. Anna and the King fall in love, but her British upbringing inhibits her from joining his harem. She is just about to leave Siam when she hears of the King’s imminent death, and returns to help his son, her favorite pupil, rule his people. Cost is $10.

Summer Pops ConcertDuke Energy ExploriumJune 25, 7:00pm prelude, 8:15pm concertPack a picnic and enjoy the Symphony under the stars! Preludes at 7pm.; orchestra concert at 8:15pm. Albert-George Schram conducts orchestral favorites, from movie music to popular sing-alongs, dance tunes, and the best of Broadway.

Wet n’ Wild PartyMcDowell Nature Center PavilionJune 25, 11:00am-12:30pmStay cool while having some fun in the forest! Enjoy various water related activities and lunch with new friends. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Don’t forget to wear your sunscreen and to bring a towel and a sack lunch (special dessert provided)! For more information call McDowell Nature Center at 704.588.5224. For ages 2-5. Cost is $5.

Pan for GoldHistoric Latta Plantation June 26, 10:00am-4:00pmLearn about Charlotte’s rich gold mining history and pan for gold at the miner’s cabin! Visitors can also tour the plantation house and grounds. Free with regular site admission. Enjoy live music on the cabin porch, local root beer and more. Cost is free, five and younger; $5 students; $6 adults.

Live Raptor PresentationCarolina Raptor CenterJune 26-27, Sat.; 11:00am, 1;00pm, 3:00pm; Sun.,1:00pm and 3:00pmMeet some of the residents at the Carolina Raptor Center – including hawks, owls and vultures. Join us every weekend for a raptor presentation focusing on a new topic every month! Check in the Visitor’s Center for the location.

Charlotte Symphony Summer Pops 2010Symphony Park, South ParkJune 27, Prelude at 7pm; Orchestra at 8:15pmPack a picnic and enjoy the Symphony under the stars! Albert-George Schram conducts orchestral favorites, from movie music to popular sing-alongs, dance tunes, and the best of Broadway. Cost is free but donations accepted.